Narrative:

I'm a student pilot with 45 total hours flying time. I was on a solo cross country training mission from martin state airport to hagerstown, md, and back. On my way back, after passing my third of my 4 check points, I turned prematurely south to what I thought toward to martin state airport. What I didn't realize was that I turned south too early and was going toward bwi airport. When I approached bwi, I finally realized I was going towards to the wrong airport. Bwi is a class B airspace and entering their airspace without their clearance is prohibited. I knew then that I was lost. I called martin state control tower for help. They gave me the frequency for bwi control tower. I've contacted them and told them my situation. Control tower personnel was very helpful to me to turn my coordination to the right direction. I knew what I did wrong. I've explained this incident to my instructor. He told me that I did the right thing by calling someone for help and that we needed to go over the 'lost procedures' again. It was a little scary and little embarrassing, but I hope with more training I'll be more alert to my whereabouts in the air.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT LOSES POSITIONAL AWARENESS AND ENTERS BWI CLASS B AIRSPACE. ATC ASSIST WAS REQUESTED AND PROB SOLVED.

Narrative: I'M A STUDENT PLT WITH 45 TOTAL HRS FLYING TIME. I WAS ON A SOLO XCOUNTRY TRAINING MISSION FROM MARTIN STATE ARPT TO HAGERSTOWN, MD, AND BACK. ON MY WAY BACK, AFTER PASSING MY THIRD OF MY 4 CHK POINTS, I TURNED PREMATURELY S TO WHAT I THOUGHT TOWARD TO MARTIN STATE ARPT. WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE WAS THAT I TURNED S TOO EARLY AND WAS GOING TOWARD BWI ARPT. WHEN I APCHED BWI, I FINALLY REALIZED I WAS GOING TOWARDS TO THE WRONG ARPT. BWI IS A CLASS B AIRSPACE AND ENTERING THEIR AIRSPACE WITHOUT THEIR CLRNC IS PROHIBITED. I KNEW THEN THAT I WAS LOST. I CALLED MARTIN STATE CTL TWR FOR HELP. THEY GAVE ME THE FREQ FOR BWI CTL TWR. I'VE CONTACTED THEM AND TOLD THEM MY SIT. CTL TWR PERSONNEL WAS VERY HELPFUL TO ME TO TURN MY COORD TO THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I KNEW WHAT I DID WRONG. I'VE EXPLAINED THIS INCIDENT TO MY INSTRUCTOR. HE TOLD ME THAT I DID THE RIGHT THING BY CALLING SOMEONE FOR HELP AND THAT WE NEEDED TO GO OVER THE 'LOST PROCS' AGAIN. IT WAS A LITTLE SCARY AND LITTLE EMBARRASSING, BUT I HOPE WITH MORE TRAINING I'LL BE MORE ALERT TO MY WHEREABOUTS IN THE AIR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.